[Indigsol] Dec. 15 - Fundraiser for the Algonquins of Barriere Lake at Umi cafe!

[Pei-Ju Wang]

**** Please help spread the word ****

 

 

Fundraiser in support of The Algonquins of Barriere Lake

 

Monday, December 15th 2008 at 7:30 pm

UMI <http://www.umicafe.org/>  Cafe, 610 Somerset St. W

Corner of Somerset and Percy in Ottawa

Suggested Donation $5-$15

 

Presented by Indigenous Peoples’ Solidarity Movement –Ottawa (IPSMO)

ipsmo at riseup.net 

 

Everyone is Welcome!

 

We will be showing 2 short videos on the blockade highway 117 taken place on
Oct. 6th, 2008 (12 minutes) and Nov. 19th, 2008 (7 minutes).  Some members
of IPSMO will recount their experiences as front-line activists, followed by
storytelling featuring Algonquin Elder Albert Dumont
<http://albertdumont.com/> , poetry and music by Loh, Mehdi, Horus,
Christopher Herodier and other talented friends!

 

There will be Barriere Lake t-shirts available for sale. 

 

All proceeds will go to the Legal Defense Fund for the 4 arrested Algonquins
for their crime: Defending the Land.  The arrested Algonquins are:

 

Marylynn Poucachiche, Mother of Five, Tribal Council Youth Representative

Offense: Demanding Canada recognize customary chief and council

 

Michel Thusky

Offense: Resisting cultural, linguistic and political assimilation

 

Rose Nottaway, Grandmother

Offense: Surviving poverty on a 59-acre reserve

 

Benjamin Nottaway, Barriere Lake Acting Chief

Offense: Defending traditional territory for natives and non-natives

 

 

Background Info:

 

“In 1991, Barriere Lake signed a historic Trilateral agreement with Canada
and Quebec to sustainably develop our traditional territories – the United
Nations called the plan an environmental "trailblazer."  Yet in 1996, the
federal government tried to hijack the agreement by replacing our legitimate
Chief and Council with a minority faction who let the agreement fall aside.
A resolution was achieved in 1997 by Quebec Superior Court Judge Réjean
Paul, who restored our legitimate Chief and Council and renewed the
Trilateral agreement.  In 2001, the government pulled out of the Trilateral
agreement and started favouring certain community members opposed to our
legitimate leadership.  Judge Réjean Paul mediated again in 2007, concluding
that the opposition to our Chief and Council was "a small minority" whose
leadership challenge "did not respect the Customary Governance Code."  But
when this same minority group conducted another alleged leadership selection
in January 2008, the federal government quickly recognized them.”

 


Barriere Lake Demands:


 

1. That the Government of Canada agree to respect the outcome of a new
leadership re-selection process, with outside observers, recognize the
resulting Customary Chief and Council, and cease all interference in the
internal governance of Barriere Lake.

2. That the Government of Canada agree to the immediate incorporation of an
Algonquin language and culture program into the primary school curriculum.

3. That the Government of Canada honour signed agreements with Barriere
Lake, including the Trilateral, the Memorandum of Mutual Intent, and the
Special Provisions, all of which it has illegally terminated.

4. That the Government of Canada revoke Third Party Management, which was
imposed unjustly on Barriere Lake.

5. That the Province of Quebec honour signed agreements with Barriere Lake,
including the 1991 Trilateral and 1998 Bilateral agreements, and adopt for
implementation the Lincoln-Ciaccia joint recommendations, including $1.5
million in resource-revenue sharing.

6. That the Government of Canada and the Province of Quebec initiate a
judicial inquiry into the Quebec Regional Office of the Department of Indian
Affairs' treatment of Barriere Lake and other First Nations who may request
to be included.

7. The Government of Quebec, in consultation with First Nations, conduct a
review of the recommendations of the Ontario Ipperwash Commission for
guidance towards improving Quebec-First Nation relations and improving the
policing procedures of the SQ when policing First Nation communities.

 

 

After exhausting all political avenues, the Algonquins of Barriere Lake and
many non-native supporters blockaded highway 117 for the first time on Oct.
6, 2008.  The community, including Elders, youth and children, were met with
a brutal police response. Riot cops used tear gas and pain compliance,
instead of negotiators. The police response has drawn criticism from
international human rights groups, the Chiefs of Ontario, and the Christian
Peacemaker Team.

 

The second time, the Algonquins of Barriere Lake and allies blockaded the
highway again on Nov. 18, 2008.  As a result, 4 Algonquins, including Acting
Chief Benjamin Nottaway were arrested by the SQ riot squad.

 

 

For more info, please visit Barriere Lake Solidarity
http://barrierelakesolidarity.blogspot.com/ web site.

 

 

 

**** Please help spread the word ****

 

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